System and method for three-dimensional printing of collimator

Abstract

A method for forming a metallic grid structure includes utilizing 3D printing for printing a first layer of a first wall section of the metallic grid structure in a first direction along a first vector offset from a center line of the first wall section by half of a first distance of a first width of the first wall section that is orthogonal to the center line. The method also includes utilizing 3D printing for printing a second layer of the first wall section on the first layer in a second direction along a second vector offset from the first line of the first wall section by half of the first distance of the first width of the first wall section, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction, and the first vector and the second vector are disposed on opposite sides of the center line.

1 . A method for forming a metallic grid structure, comprising:
 utilizing three-dimensional (3D) printing for:
 printing a first layer of a first wall section of the metallic grid structure in a first direction along a first vector offset from a first center line of the first wall section by half of a first distance of a first width of the first wall section that is orthogonal to the first center line; and 
 printing a second layer of the first wall section on the first layer in a second direction along a second vector offset from the first center line of the first wall section by half of the first distance of the first width of the first wall section, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction, and the first vector and the second vector are disposed on opposite sides of the first center line. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising alternating printing layers of the first wall section in the first direction along the first vector and the second direction along the second vector until a desired height of the first wall section is reached. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising alternating printing respective layers of a plurality of walls of the metallic grid structure in the first direction along the first vector and the second direction along the second vector until the desired height of each wall of the plurality of walls is reached, wherein the first vector and the second vector utilized in printing each wall are offset from a respective first center line of each wall and are disposed on opposite sides of the respective first center line of each wall. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising utilizing 3D printing for:
 printing the first layer of a second wall section of the metallic grid structure in a third direction along a third vector offset from a second center line of the second wall section by half of a second distance of a second width of the second wall section that is orthogonal to the second center line; and   printing the second layer of the second wall section on the first layer in a fourth direction along a fourth vector offset from the second center line of the second wall section by half of the second distance of the second width of the second wall section, wherein the fourth direction is opposite the third direction, the third vector and the fourth vector are disposed on opposite sides of the second center line, and the both the third direction and the fourth direction are orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising alternating printing layers of the second wall section in the third direction along the third vector and the fourth direction along the fourth vector until a desired height of the second wall section is reached. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at the first wall section and the second wall section are joined at an intersection. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising utilizing 3D printing for:
 printing the first layer of a second wall section of the metallic grid structure in second direction along the second vector; and   printing the second layer of the second wall section on the first layer in the first direction along the first vector, wherein the first wall section and the second wall section are adjacent each other and are aligned along the first direction.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first vector and the second vector comprise the only vectors along the first direction and the second direction, respectively, for printing the first wall section. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic grid structure comprises an anti-scatter grid or collimator configured for use with an X-ray detector of an X-ray imaging system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the metallic grid structure comprises tungsten. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D printing comprises laser powder bed fusion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first distance of the first width of the first wall section is greater than 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         13 . A method for forming a collimator configured for use with an X-ray detector of an X-ray imaging system, comprising:
 utilizing three-dimensional (3D) printing for:
 alternately printing layers of a first set of septa of the collimator extending in a first direction by alternating between utilizing a first vector and a second vector in printing the layers of the first set of septa, wherein the first vector and the second vector are oriented in opposite directions along the first direction, disposed on opposite sides of a first center line of a respective septa of the first set of septa, and offset from the first center line half of a first distance of a first width of the respective septa of the first set of septa; and 
 alternately printing layers of a second set of septa of the collimator extending in a second direction by alternating between utilizing a third vector and a fourth vector in printing the layers of the second set of septa, wherein the third vector and the fourth vector are oriented in opposite directions along the second direction and disposed on opposite sides of a second center line of a respective septa of the second set of septa, and offset from the second center line half of a second distance of a second width of the respective septa of the second set of septa, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising alternately printing the layers of both the first set of septa and the second set of septa until a desired height of both the first set of septa and the second of septa is reached. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first set of septa and the second set of septa are joined at intersections. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the collimator comprises tungsten. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first distance and the second distance are each greater than 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         18 . A system for forming a collimator configured for use with an X-ray detector of an X-ray imaging system, comprising:
 a memory encoding processor-executable routines; and   processing circuitry configured to access the memory and to execute the processor-executable routines, wherein the routines, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to:
 utilize three-dimensional (3D) printing for:
 alternately printing layers of a first set of septa of the collimator extending in a first direction by alternating between utilizing a first vector and a second vector in printing the layers of the first set of septa, wherein the first vector and the second vector are oriented in opposite directions along the first direction, disposed on opposite sides of a first center line of a respective septa of the first set of septa, and offset from the first center line half of a first distance of a first width of the respective septa of the first set of septa; and 
 alternately printing layers of a second set of septa of the collimator extending in a second direction by alternating between utilizing a third vector and a fourth vector in printing the layers of the second set of septa, wherein the third vector and the fourth vector are oriented in opposite directions along the second direction and disposed on opposite sides of a second center line of a respective septa of the second set of septa, and offset from the second center line half of a second distance of a second width of the respective septa of the second set of septa, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction. 
 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first distance and the second distance are each greater than 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the first set of septa and the second set of septa are joined at intersections.